Knox Bhavan Architects designed this timber Crowbrook home for a couple living in Hunsdon to the northeast of London. One of the clients has rheumatoid arthritis, so the home has an accessible plan laid out over a single floor, and each room has views of the surrounding gardens. The layout and design also provide the home with an abundance of daylight and a strong connection with the outdoors.

Crowbrook is a single-story residence with 200 square meters of space laid out in the shape of an H. The new home takes the place of an old bungalow that was “of poor construction with a wasteful and torturous layout.” On the plus side, the bungalow enjoyed a lovely and mature garden that was left intact. Knox Bhavan was tasked with designing a new home on the site that maximized views of the garden while providing the clients with easy mobility around the house.

The H-shape ensures that each room has views of the garden and allows natural daylight to reach the home’s interior. Window overhangs minimize glare and solar heat gain during the summer, while allowing light and heat in during the winter. The center of the home has a living space with a double-height ceiling. Clerestory windows let in even more light from above. Knox Bhavan Architects‘s Crowbrook house was shortlisted for the 2013 RIBA Manser Medal, which is the UK’s most distinguished private home design award.